Assistant Chief Ralph Godbee joined DPD in May 1987. He was promoted to sergeant in 1995 and lieutenant in 1999. For a brief time in 2002, Godbee was commanding officer of Detroit's first precinct, but was later assigned an inspector position that same year during a department re-organization.

Godbee was appointed commander of the ninth precinct in late 2002, and served in various roles at that precinct before being named deputy chief in 2005. Under the leadership of former Chief Ella Bully-Cummings, Godbee was named assistant chief in 2007.

He retired in 2008 to pursue a career in consulting, but, just after Evans took the chief's post in July 2009, Godbee returned to the assistant chief's post.